Forza Horizon – VG247http://www.vg247.com
VG247.comFri, 09 Dec 2016 13:36:26 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.5.3Alpinestars Car Pack brings seven new cars to Forza Horizon 3, and look for things to get icy later this yearhttp://www.vg247.com/2016/11/01/alpinestars-car-pack-brings-seven-new-cars-to-forza-horizon-3-and-look-for-things-to-get-icy-later-this-year/
http://www.vg247.com/2016/11/01/alpinestars-car-pack-brings-seven-new-cars-to-forza-horizon-3-and-look-for-things-to-get-icy-later-this-year/#respondTue, 01 Nov 2016 20:51:06 +0000https://www.vg247.com/?p=606338Over five million people played Forza games in September on Xbox One and Windows 10 PC, and today, seven new cars have been made available to Forza Horizon 3 players.

Today’s Alpinestars Car Pack contains the 1990 Mazda Savanna RX-7 and the 1998 Nissan Silvia K’s which are popular with folks who like drifting, according to the developers. But there’s more than just those two: the Alpinestars Car Pack also features the 2017 Acura NSX and the Dodge Viper ACR.

Here’s everything included in the November car drop:

2017 Acura NSX

1998 Nissan Silvia K’s

1990 Mazda Savannah RX-7

1967 Ford Falcon XR GT

2016 Dodge Viper ACR

2016 BMW M4 GTS

1979 Talbot Lotus Sunbeam

Looking over the set of car screenshots, you will also see a teaser image of the winter-themed expansion coming later this year.

The cars above are included as part of the Forza Horizon 3 Car Pass, which is available for purchase in the Microsoft Store for $29.99. Players can also get the pack as a standalone purchase for $6.99.

You can pick up the Forza Horizon 3 Expansion Pass for $34.99 which comes with the two future expansions – one of which was teased above.

Ultimate Edition owners will receive a discount of $10 on the Forza Horizon 3 Expansion Pass if purchased before the end of 2016.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2016/11/01/alpinestars-car-pack-brings-seven-new-cars-to-forza-horizon-3-and-look-for-things-to-get-icy-later-this-year/feed/0Xbox boss Phil Spencer thinks some bad reviews are written just for clickshttp://www.vg247.com/2016/10/06/xbox-boss-phil-spencer-thinks-some-bad-reviews-are-written-just-for-clicks/
http://www.vg247.com/2016/10/06/xbox-boss-phil-spencer-thinks-some-bad-reviews-are-written-just-for-clicks/#respondThu, 06 Oct 2016 12:29:14 +0000https://www.vg247.com/?p=603165“I didn’t try to tell anybody that [Recore] was a ten.”

Xbox boss Phil Spencer claims that a number of bad reviews for recent Xbox releases have been written to drive traffic to websites rather than reflect the quality of the game.

He said he was more than happy with the way Xbox exclusive Recore sold and its reception from fans, despite the game averaging a score of 63% on metacritic.

“I think there’s certain reviews that are written more to get clicked on than they are to actually accurately reflect the quality of the game, and that kind of bums me out.”

“On the reviews, honestly I thought some of the reviews were a little harsh in terms of their view on the game,” he told GameSpot, which scored the game 6/10.

“I didn’t try to tell anybody that it was a ten. I think we knew, as with any games, that there are certain things… if we started from the beginning and we knew what we’d get, there’s a couple of things we would’ve done slightly differently,” he said.

Forza Horizon 3 develoeprs Turn 10 and Playground games have released the first Windows 10 and Xbox One patch for the well-received racer.

The update introduces several welcome fixes including a remedy for stuttering in the PC build of Forza Horizon 3, and extended and improved wheel support, which is a must for those who dropped serious dough on racing peripherals. There are also some other changes related to controls, which will please hardcore racers.

According to the Forza news blog, now that this patch is out “the teams at Playground and Turn 10 are working on addressing further known issues in Forza Horizon 3 including force feedback and wheel support, general stability and performance, and more”.

Forza Horizon 3 is out today, and some people are pretty excited. Amongst them is Xbox Germany who you my recall are giving away three of the specially made Audi R8 Edition Xbox One S. And I still think it’s as ugly today as I did yesterday.

But Xbox Australia has swooped in to make it all better, upping the stakes with a one-of-a-kind Lamborghini Centenario Xbox One S.

I don’t know if it’s because I’m comparing it to yesterday’s monstrosity, but I am really digging this edition.

“Much like the $2 million dollar car that inspired its looks and also features on the cover of Forza Horizon 3, the first and only Lamborghini Centenario Xbox One S is reminiscent of the Italian manufacturer’s striking design and state-of-the-art engineering,” said Microsoft.

“With its gunmetal body, matching wireless controller and signature yellow trimmings, the console truly looks as sleek as it sounds!”

They are not wrong. It looks flippin’ fantastic.

The competition appears to be open to Australian residents only. To enter, grab yourself a copy of Forza Horizon 3 between September 27 and October 2 at Microsoft’s flagship store store in Sidney’s Pitt St or online.

This will enter you into a draw to win. If you pre-ordered or bought your copy early, you can still opt in by sending proof of purchase in a private message to the Microsoft Store Facebook page.

The console is on display in Sydney’s Pitt St store so if you want to have a little drool over it, you can.

What do you think of the Lamborghini Centenario Xbox One S compared to the Audi R8? Are they both a bit garish for your taste or do you have a firm favourite? Let us know in the comments.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2016/09/27/one-of-a-kind-lamborghini-centenario-xbox-one-s-is-droolworthy/feed/0Yes that Audi R8 Edition of the Xbox One S is real, and yes it’s really that uglyhttp://www.vg247.com/2016/09/26/yes-that-audi-r8-edition-of-the-xbox-one-s-is-real-and-yes-its-really-that-ugly/
http://www.vg247.com/2016/09/26/yes-that-audi-r8-edition-of-the-xbox-one-s-is-real-and-yes-its-really-that-ugly/#respondMon, 26 Sep 2016 19:02:46 +0000https://www.vg247.com/?p=602055This is not a photoshop. Unfortunately.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but if there’s a competition involving this Xbox One S Audi R8 Edition, it should be to avoid being the recipient. At all costs. This thing is butt ugly.

Xbox Germany are running a Facebook competition to mark the launch of Forza Horizon 3, and have teamed up with Audi to create just three of these Xbox One S Audi R8 Edition consoles.

There’s even a themed controller with a very large and very red stop/ start button, and leather inserts.

Entrants must be from Germany. To enter, like the page, the post, and comment with who your toughest Forza rival is.

Forza Horizon 3 is out tomorrow, September 27, for PC and Xbox One.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2016/09/26/yes-that-audi-r8-edition-of-the-xbox-one-s-is-real-and-yes-its-really-that-ugly/feed/0Amazing Aussie drifts his way around the entire map of Forza Horizon 3 in a Utehttp://www.vg247.com/2016/09/26/amazing-aussie-drifts-his-way-around-the-entire-map-of-forza-horizon-3-in-a-ute/
http://www.vg247.com/2016/09/26/amazing-aussie-drifts-his-way-around-the-entire-map-of-forza-horizon-3-in-a-ute/#respondMon, 26 Sep 2016 14:54:34 +0000https://www.vg247.com/?p=602019Check out that multiplier!

Forza Horizon 3 is out tomorrow and YouTuber DomesticMango has already pulled off one hell of a challenge. He only went and drifted around the entire map.

The Aussie’s vehicle of choice was a Holden 2016 GTS Maloo and he successfully drifts around the whole map in around 20 minutes.

If that wasn’t difficult enough, he intends on pulling it off again in an even faster car.

Forza Horizon 3 will feature over 350 cars when it releases, has HDR support on Xbox One, and is a Play Anywhere title.

The game releases tomorrow, September 27, for PC and Xbox One.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2016/09/26/amazing-aussie-drifts-his-way-around-the-entire-map-of-forza-horizon-3-in-a-ute/feed/0Forza Horizon 3 review: a new visual benchmark for the Xbox Onehttp://www.vg247.com/2016/09/26/forza-horizon-3-review-a-new-visual-benchmark-for-the-xbox-one/
http://www.vg247.com/2016/09/26/forza-horizon-3-review-a-new-visual-benchmark-for-the-xbox-one/#respondMon, 26 Sep 2016 12:22:12 +0000https://www.vg247.com/?p=601994Forza Horizon 3 sends the series on a beautiful cross-country road trip of Australia that is enjoyable in all the same ways Horizon 2 ever was.

“The real star of Forza Horizon 3 is Australia itself, and the clear visual step forward the game represents, rather than the cars.”

The Forza Horizon series, which spun-off from the more simulation-focused Forza Motorsport games, has done a good job of filling the void left in Xbox’s line-up when Project Gotham Racing developer Bizarre Creations shut down. At the same time, the series has expertly tapped into gamings obsession with seeking what’s beyond the horizon in an open world, both eponymously and in terms of how these games are constructed.

As was the case in Horizon 1 and 2, the third game mixes the in-depth customisation options and general car-love of the mainline Forza games with a sense of frivolity: you can still tinker under the hood to alter your speed around corners and shave seconds off your lap times, but you’re probably going to spend more time hooning over jumps and blasting across open fields for fun than you are overtaking opponents.

The Horizon Festival has headed to Australia for the series’ third entry, a country that very few triple-A games ever bother to visit, let alone lovingly render. The map stretches from Byron Bay, past the Five Apostles and up to Surfers Paradise; further inland there’s the Yarra Valley and the nebulously defined outback, a great expanse of dust and dunes. The distances between these sites are hugely condensed, naturally, to cut out a lot of the clutter and long country roads.

While it would be misleading to characterise Australia as a country that is wholly represented by a handful of landmarks and concepts, the game has perfectly captured the idea of Australia we like to put forward in our tourism ads – the selling points of Australia, the gorgeous vistas and lush tropics and quirky small towns and beautiful beaches. Beyond this, there are extra touches that only Australian locals are likely to appreciate. The bins out the front of houses, for instance, are authentic with their red and yellow lids. The roads are realistically poorly lit at night. The ‘barn finds’, old classics that can be found and restored, aren’t actually in barns anymore, instead found in shitty iron sheds scattered around farmlands. It makes Surfer’s Paradise look a lot nicer than it actually is, but that’s understandable.

The attention to detail in Forza Horizon 3 is meticulous in almost all areas (try not to flip your car, because they didn’t bother rendering underneath them). Sure, the driving model is great – it always has been in Forza – but the real star of Forza Horizon 3 is Australia itself, and the clear visual step forward the game represents, rather than the cars. When you slide around a rain-slicked corner and suddenly find yourself barrelling into a lush rainforest, or you cut through farmlands, hurling yourself over a jump, and for a moment spy the tall buildings of Surfer’s Paradise in the distance, the part of your brain that intrinsically understands the Xbox One as the technologically inferior of the two major consoles switches off.

“When you slide around a rain-slicked corner and suddenly find yourself barrelling into a lush rainforest, the part of your brain that intrinsically understands the Xbox One as the technologically inferior of the two major consoles switches off.”

In this one area, Forza Horizon 3 is a big improvement on its predecessor. There are several other changes, improvements and additions made within the game, but how much of an impact these have on you is going to differ depending on your personal play style. Personally, I’m not a huge car guy – there aren’t brands or models that have a strong hold on me – and the appeal of the Horizon series has always been the thrill of the journey. In some ways, races in Horizon 3 feel a bit more ‘traditional’ than they did in Horizon 2. I found myself with far fewer opportunities to ignore my GPS and tear off the track, making my own shortcuts, than I did in that game. Despite featuring a larger map, Horizon 3 doesn’t always feel like it’s making the most of the space it’s offering up.

There are far more customisation options in this one as well, not just in terms of your cars – which you can now change just about every aspect of, if that’s the sort of player you are – but in the events themselves. The new Horizon Blueprint system allows you to create and upload your own races and challenges, setting the cars allowed, choosing the route, and even messing with the time of day and weather. Your choices here are fairly limited, in that you can’t outright invent your own tracks, but each race location on the map will now give you multiple options beyond the initial recommended one.

In some ways, this is a cool addition. It means that you can largely stick to driving your favourite cars if you so choose throughout the entire game, and that players are able to come up with interesting challenges. Some of the player-crafted blueprints I’ve tried have been a lot of fun, and making your own is easy and enjoyable. It also means, however, that the game feels a little less crafted than the greatest racing games, and the game leans on Blueprints hard for variety. Often when I unlocked enough ‘fans’ (a fairly weightless figure associated with completing events) to upgrade one of my five festival sites and unlock further events, I found myself a little bothered by how many of the new challenges on the map were PR Stunts and how few of them were actual race sites.

PR Stunts consist of speed traps, drift zones, and jumps mostly, with the occasional excellent standalone Bucket List challenge that sets up specific criteria and gives you the car to complete them in. The issue is that the car you’re driving at any given point isn’t necessarily going to be well-suited to these. Usually you’ll want either a ridiculously fast hyper-car or a grippy, speedy rally car, depending on location, but if you happen to be pottering around in an old American shitbox when you find them you’ve got no hope of racking up a three-star performance and gaining extra fans. Buying a good car is so essential that it feels like Forza Horizon 3 perhaps contains more cars than it actually needs. When you try to save money and buy a lemon that cannot compete in races, or even get you from A to B quickly, it’s easy to get irritated.

“The focus on customisation and choice means that most players can beat the game into the shape that most appeals to them.”

To be clear, none of these issues stop Forza Horizon 3 from frequently being both extremely fun and terrifyingly addictive. While writing this review, I loaded up the game a few times to fact check things, and inevitably ended up playing for at least half an hour past checking those facts before finding my way back to writing. The Drivatar AI system implemented back in Forza 5 is still excellent, and seeing old online friends you haven’t spoken to in a while driving up alongside you is oddly poignant. In the interest of full disclosure, I should also mention that I didn’t get a chance to test the online features ahead of launch, so I’m unable to comment on them fully.

Forza Horizon 3 is a great racing game, and a new benchmark for what the Xbox One can achieve visually. Whether or not it’s actually better than the also-great Horizon 2 may depend on what you’re after, but the focus on customisation and choice means that most players can beat the game into the shape that most appeals to them. Just keep in mind that Byron Bay and Surfers Paradise are actually 93km apart, not 16, and that the game is outright lying about where the Twelve Apostles are.

Forza Horizon is out on PC and Xbox One September 27.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2016/09/26/forza-horizon-3-review-a-new-visual-benchmark-for-the-xbox-one/feed/0Original Forza Horizon reaches end of life in Octoberhttp://www.vg247.com/2016/09/26/original-forza-horizon-reaches-end-of-life-in-october/
http://www.vg247.com/2016/09/26/original-forza-horizon-reaches-end-of-life-in-october/#respondMon, 26 Sep 2016 10:34:26 +0000https://www.vg247.com/?p=601979Microsoft will remove the game and DLC from sale next month.

The original Forza Horizon will be laid to rest by Microsoft on October 20.

From that date the game and related DLC will no longer be available to buy.

“On October 20, the original Forza Horizon for Xbox 360 will reach ‘End of Life’ status,” said Microsoft. “That means that the game and its associated DLC will no longer be available for purchase.

“Players who own Forza Horizon before that date will still be able to download and play the game and its associated content as normal. After that date, however, Forza Horizon and its associated DLC will no longer be for sale.”

If you’re sad about the news, just remember Forza Horizon 3 hits the Xbox One from tomorrow.

We’ve come a long way, baby.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2016/09/26/original-forza-horizon-reaches-end-of-life-in-october/feed/0Grab the Forza Horizon 3 demo now for Xbox Onehttp://www.vg247.com/2016/09/13/grab-the-forza-horizon-3-demo-now-for-xbox-one/
http://www.vg247.com/2016/09/13/grab-the-forza-horizon-3-demo-now-for-xbox-one/#respondTue, 13 Sep 2016 19:57:15 +0000https://www.vg247.com/?p=600372You can now play a demo for Forza Horizon 3 on Xbox One.

If you’re interested in trying out the demo or purchasing the game, you may want to give this video the once over. It explores the top five changes you can expect in the racer.

Once all events in the demo are finished, players can play online with others in a free-roam session to explore the demo’s map together.

At release, Forza Horizon 3 will feature more than 350 cars and will be released on September 27. The demo version does not include HDR support on Xbox One S and a tester for the PC version will be made available sometime after the game launches.

With Forza Horizon 3‘s release right around the next crazy hair-pin corner, Arekkz has taken the opportunity to highlight the top 5 changes Microsoft’s latest entry brings to their beloved racing franchise.

Some of the most notable additions include full bodykits – a series first – and more extensive car customisation options, while the game’s Drone Camera Mode extends the videogame photographer’s toolkit by allowing you to detach from your car and fly the full length of the course.

Those wanting to see these changes in action themselves can go for a spin in the just-released Forza Horizon 3 demo on Xbox One, while PC players wanting to do the same will have to wait until ‘sometime after launch’.

Fora Horizon 3 is set for release on September 27th for Windows 10 PC and Xbox One.

Hit the link up top for the entire list of Xbox 360 games currently playable on Xbox One.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2016/09/06/three-new-xbox-360-titles-added-to-xbox-one-backwards-compatibility-list/feed/0Forza Horizon 3 is gold: PC specs and Achievements listed, and a Warthog is included for Halo playershttp://www.vg247.com/2016/08/30/forza-horizon-3-is-gold-pc-specs-and-achievements-listed-and-a-warthog-is-included-for-halo-players/
http://www.vg247.com/2016/08/30/forza-horizon-3-is-gold-pc-specs-and-achievements-listed-and-a-warthog-is-included-for-halo-players/#respondTue, 30 Aug 2016 16:46:07 +0000https://www.vg247.com/?p=598690Not only were the recommended PC specs released along with news of going gold, but a video showing the Halo Warthog in-game and the list of Achievements have been provided too.

Forza Horizon 3 is off for disc pressing, which is what going gold means – if you didn’t know that already.

In the video above, you get a look at the 2554 AMG Transport Dynamics M12S Warthog CST which will be included as one of the 350+ vehicles in the Forza Garage.

This is the first time in the Forza series players will be able to drive the iconic Halo ground vehicle. It will be handed out to those who have played Halo 5 or The Master Chief Collection on Xbox One when Forza Horizon 3 launches.

Eligible players will receive a download code for the Warthog via an Xbox Live Message, and codes will begin to be sent out during the week of September 5.

Those who have not played an Xbox One Halo game can earn the Warthog through a #Forzathon event coming in October.

Those planning to play Forza Horizon 3 on Windows 10 should know it obviously requires DirectX 12.

It will support 4K and contains a “tremendous amount of adjustment options” such as full screen, vertical sync and resolution along with advanced options for motion blur, mirrors, reflection, static and dynamic geometry, and more.

Those interested in using driving wheels on PC should know that Microsoft plans on providing more information on wheel support for the W10 version at a later date.

Forza Horizon 3 will be released on W10 and Xbox One September 27. Those who purchased the Forza Horizon 3 Ultimate Edition will be able to play it four days early on September 23.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2016/08/30/forza-horizon-3-is-gold-pc-specs-and-achievements-listed-and-a-warthog-is-included-for-halo-players/feed/0Xbox Games with Gold offerings for September include Forza Horizon and Mirror’s Edgehttp://www.vg247.com/2016/08/24/xbox-games-with-gold-offerings-for-september-include-forza-horizon-and-mirrors-edge/
http://www.vg247.com/2016/08/24/xbox-games-with-gold-offerings-for-september-include-forza-horizon-and-mirrors-edge/#respondWed, 24 Aug 2016 19:40:08 +0000https://www.vg247.com/?p=598217Attention, Xbox Live Gold subs: your freebies for the month have been announced.

Forza Horizon 3: here are the free cars you’re getting for playing older Forza games

Forza Horizon 3 continues the tradition of rewarding series fans who bought older Forza games, as well as those who played them for more than the first few days.

Developer Playground unveiled full details of what Forza Rewards members will be getting in-game when Horizon 3 comes out in September.

Every tier gets a unique free car in the game, from tier 2 through tier 10. In addition, if you’re tier 3 or higher, you’ll get your tier’s car as well as all the others below it.

Here’s the list:

Tier 2: 2005 Honda NSX-R

Tier 3: 2003 Nissan Fairlady Z

Tier 4: 2016 Audi V10 plus

Tier 5: 2012 BMW M5

Tier 6: 2009 Ferrari 458 Italia

Tier 7: 2013 SRT Viper GTS

Tier 8: 2013 McLaren P1

Tier 9: Lamborghini Hurácan LP 610-4

Tier 10: 2017 Ford GT

On top of that, those who played Horizon 2 on Xbox One get the 2014 Local Motors Rally Fighter, and those who played Forza 6 will get the 2017 Ford Raptor for free. If you’ve been a VIP member in either either game, you also receive the 2015 Koenigsegg One:1.

As is always the case with Forza Rewards, the more you play, the higher your tier is. So you could conceivably climb up a tier or two from now until launch.

Forza Horizon 3 is out on Xbox One and Windows 10 PC September 27.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2016/06/15/forza-horizon-3-here-are-the-free-cars-youre-getting-for-playing-older-forza-games/feed/0Forza Horizon 3 to be revealed by Microsoft at E3 2016 – reporthttp://www.vg247.com/2016/06/13/forza-horizon-3-to-be-revealed-by-microsoft-at-e3-2016-report/
http://www.vg247.com/2016/06/13/forza-horizon-3-to-be-revealed-by-microsoft-at-e3-2016-report/#respondMon, 13 Jun 2016 13:28:16 +0000https://www.vg247.com/?p=587414Poor Microsoft. Its announcements are being leaked left and right. The latest leak states Forza Horizon 3 will be announced today.

Forza Horizon 3 to be revealed by Microsoft at E3 2016 – report

It is in development at Leamington Spa’s Playground Games, according to Nerd Leaks, and is set in Australia. It will feature “extreme terrain” and the largest car roster and map ever for the Horizon series with four-player co-op mode in the campaign.

Forza Horizon 3 is said to be set for a September 27 release on Windows 10 and Xbox One.

This shouldn’t be a surprise really, and we’re not really set on it being a rumor. Not only is Nerd Leaks reliable, but the Forza Horizon games tend to be released alternate years, with Forza Motorsport.

Be sure to check out our E3 2016 hub for all the news, videos, screenshots, interviews and much more, live and direct for this year’s show.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2016/06/13/forza-horizon-3-to-be-revealed-by-microsoft-at-e3-2016-report/feed/0Forza concept art raises hopes for Horizon sequelhttp://www.vg247.com/2014/03/13/forza-concept-art-raises-hopes-for-horizon-sequel/
http://www.vg247.com/2014/03/13/forza-concept-art-raises-hopes-for-horizon-sequel/#respondThu, 13 Mar 2014 04:46:29 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=456262Forza Motorsport 5 brought the series back to its vanilla racing roots, but fans of Forza Horizon can hold out hope for a return to the unusual open-world racer formula seen in the previous outing.

IGN turned up a couple of images posted by a concept artist Sumeet Surve of Dhurva Interactive, a studio which has produced concept art for every Forza game to date.

The images are titled Forza Deep South and show what looks like a Louisiana-inspired environment.

Microsoft refused to comment with the usual “rumours and speculation” line, and Surve has not responded to queries either.

Although the artworks may well be unused concepts for Forza Horizon, speculation is rife that developer Playground Games is working up a sequel.

Playground Games is known to be working on an unannounced Xbox One game.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2013/12/19/forza-horizon-deal-knocks-50-off-game-70-off-dlc-pass/feed/1Forza Horizon 1000 Club pack free this weekhttp://www.vg247.com/2013/04/15/forza-horizon-1000-club-pack-free-this-week/
http://www.vg247.com/2013/04/15/forza-horizon-1000-club-pack-free-this-week/#respondSun, 14 Apr 2013 23:24:36 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=358176Forza Horizon’s 100 Club DLC pack, which was outed by leaked achievements last week, is due on April 16. Multiple sites report the free pack includes the Ford F100 1956 and the RUF CTR2 1995; check out a couple of screens below.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2013/04/15/forza-horizon-1000-club-pack-free-this-week/feed/0Forza Horizon achievements suggest new DLC incominghttp://www.vg247.com/2013/04/12/forza-horizon-achievements-suggest-new-dlc-incoming/
http://www.vg247.com/2013/04/12/forza-horizon-achievements-suggest-new-dlc-incoming/#respondFri, 12 Apr 2013 08:47:17 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=357792Forza Horizon’s Xbox 360 achievement list has just been topped up with a handful of new challenges, suggesting another DLC pack is due for release.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2013/04/12/forza-horizon-achievements-suggest-new-dlc-incoming/feed/0Forza Horizon DLC adds six new vehicles including Ford Transit vanhttp://www.vg247.com/2013/04/02/forza-horizon-dlc-adds-six-new-vehicles-including-ford-transit-van/
http://www.vg247.com/2013/04/02/forza-horizon-dlc-adds-six-new-vehicles-including-ford-transit-van/#respondTue, 02 Apr 2013 05:11:58 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=354114The next content drop for Forza Horizon is the April Top Gear Car Pack, due on Xbox Live later today. The pack adds six vehicles: the 2012 Aston Martin Vanquish; 2012 Bowler EXR S; 2011 Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale Zagato; 2011 Ford Transit SuperSportVan; 1998 Mercedes-Benz AMG Mercedes CLK GTR; and 2002 BMW M3-GTR. None of these are jokes. The full pack goes for 400 MS Points or you can grab each car individually for 240 MS Points, except the M3-GTR, which is free. Hit the break for a trailer.

The new car pack will be available on March 5, and will cost 400 Microsoft Points, although at least one car is free. Season pass holders will get the content pack for free, along with one extra bonus car.

The pack is sponsored by Meguiar’s, a care care product brand, and will be supported by a number of special events which will be detailed at a later date.

Here’s the official blurb on the cars included in the pack; there’s a trailer below, too. No screens were provided and the image above is an Audi marketing image for the 2013 RS4 Avant.

2013 Audi RS4 Avant – Featuring performance usually reserved for sport coupes, the RS4 Avant starts with a wide body, low stance and roof spoilers designed for attention. Throw in a direct-injected V8 capable of more than 400 hp, and you’ve got a wagon that can haul your family and a weekend’s worth of gear at speeds of up to 174 mph.

2013 BMW M135i – Filling in the gap for the out-of-production M Coupe, the M135i combines the comfort, styling, and road-gripping enthusiasm that you expect from an M-badged BMW with the day-to-day drivability of a standard model. The M135i will earn approving nods from the folks strolling down Main Street and will turn the heads of drivers as it disappears headlong into the horizon.

2012 Mercedes-Benz G65 AMG – A pinnacle of off-road performance, the G65 AMG has a price tag that’s nearly as staggering as the power delivered by its twin-turbo V12. Little wonder then, that Mercedes calls this “the most powerful series-produced cross-country vehicle in the world.” Take it for a spin along the back roads of Horizon’s Colorado and try to disagree.

2003 Ferrari Challenge Stradale – Get behind the wheel of this track-bred beast from Maranello and prepare to exercise your grinning muscles. Based on the 360 Modena, the Challenge Stradale is lighter, more powerful, and more responsive. In other words, it’s more of what makes the Prancing Pony so special.

2004 Peugeot 206 RC – A hot hatch with French flair, the 206 RC borrows its two-liter power plant from the larger 306 line and brings a nimble sports suspension to conquer the twisting roads of Forza Horizon. While it’s a fine drive on tarmac, the 206 RC absolutely comes alive with rally upgrades, attacking those dusty bumps and curves with relish.

1998 Nissan R390 (FREE Download) – Its race-bred twin, the R390 GT1, took four of the top ten spots at the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans. That’s just one of the reasons this carbon fiber masterpiece is highly valued by collectors and racers alike. The R390’s ample V8 delivers more than 550 hp of power in a body that weighs just over a ton. In short, it’s light, fast, and oh so much fun to drive. The R390 is this month’s free download sample car.

2010 Joss JT1 – Season Pass Bonus Car – A prototype with serious aerodynamic cred, the Joss JT1 is a fine choice for some high speed “Forza Horizon” cruising. In the real world, Joss fans expect the first production models to hit the streets this year; until then, see what’s in store for deep-pocketed speed freaks with the JT1.

Season Pass holders will get the pack for no-charge, along with the 2010 Devon GTXas a bonus car. The rest of us will have to drop 400 MS Points for the pack. if you are a Gold member, you are in luck, because you can also pick up the 1966 Ford Country Squire for free.

According to an update on the racer’s website, the first bundle includes three new cars – the 2013 Honda Civic Si Coupe, the HPD Rally Fit and the 1986 Honda Civic Si Coupe.

The second is the 2013 Civic Si Challenge, which pits players against Honda Racing’s Scott Dixon. The details of the latter are yet to be decided, and fans are encouraged to cast their vote for which track will be featured through the Honda racing section of on Xbox Live. Voting ends on January 8.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2012/12/18/forza-horizon-adds-three-cars-via-free-january-dlc/feed/0Forza Horizon Rally Expansion trailer shows what’s included in next week’s releasehttp://www.vg247.com/2012/12/14/forza-horizon-rally-expansion-trailer-shows-whats-included-in-next-weeks-release/
http://www.vg247.com/2012/12/14/forza-horizon-rally-expansion-trailer-shows-whats-included-in-next-weeks-release/#commentsFri, 14 Dec 2012 14:54:48 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=324971A trailer for the Forza Horizon Rally Expansion has been released. As detailed back in October, the pack contains five upgradeable “rally-tuned” cars: 1982 Lancia 027 Stradale, 1992 Ford Escort RS Cosworth, 1992 Toyota Celica GT-Four RC ST185, 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII MR, and the 2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STi. The pack also includes co-driver calls, new stages and online events. It will release on December 18 and will run you $20. If you purchased the Season Pass for the game, the rally pack will be included in the $50 price and comes with an extra car: the 2003 Ford Focus SVT. A video is below via IGN.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2012/12/14/forza-horizon-rally-expansion-trailer-shows-whats-included-in-next-weeks-release/feed/5Forza Horizon DLC: December car pack dated, detailedhttp://www.vg247.com/2012/11/28/forza-horizon-dlc-december-car-pack-dated-detailed/
http://www.vg247.com/2012/11/28/forza-horizon-dlc-december-car-pack-dated-detailed/#respondWed, 28 Nov 2012 08:58:33 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=319242Forza Horizon is getting a new car pack in December that brings “Phenomenal power and timeless design” into the mix. The pack is full of cars too expensive for you or I to afford, at a price you definitely can afford. Get the full car list below.

The ‘December IGN Car Pack’ releases on Xbox Live from December 4th at 400 MS Points. However, if you already have a Forza Horizon season pass you will get it all for free. The season pass runs until March 2013 and will cost you 4,000 MS Points.

The Halo Edition Ford features a special livery design created by 343 Industries.

Also releasing in December is Forza Horizon’s new rally DLC pack, which developer Playground Games has been discussing at length, and hopes will give players a pure rally experience across seven events. It launches December 18th.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2012/11/28/forza-horizon-dlc-december-car-pack-dated-detailed/feed/0Forza Horizon Rally DLC detailed: delivers “pure rally experience”http://www.vg247.com/2012/11/26/forza-horizon-rally-dlc-detailed-delivers-pure-rally-experience/
http://www.vg247.com/2012/11/26/forza-horizon-rally-dlc-detailed-delivers-pure-rally-experience/#commentsMon, 26 Nov 2012 09:59:20 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=318533Forza: Horizon is to receive a rally DLC pack in December, and Playground Games’ design director Ralph Fulton has discussed the incoming content in a new interview. Expect stage-by-stage rallies and a more pure rally experience. See what he had to say about it below.

As part of an IGN interview, Fulton described the full-on process of developing the rally DLC since Forza: Horizon went gold, and stated that the content would be independent of the game’s open world. However, he also stressed that the pack would tap into the rally vibe that some of the game’s off-road sprints were aiming for.

Fulton said of the DLC’s development process, “Everybody here now is totally heads down on rally. And they have been for maybe about a month or so, maybe six weeks, because obviously work finishes on Horizon in advance of it coming out.

“That work really continues right the way up until December when we put the pack the pack together and release it on Xbox Live.”

On the content itself, Fulton offered an overview that seemed to fall in line with other rally game experiences out there, “We’re trying to put together a really enthralling rally package.

“I think there’s an opportunity to go much deeper into that pure rally experience,” he continued. “That’s maybe something we didn’t have the chance to do in the broader context of Horizon itself but we identified that pure, one-car-on-a-rally-route, really intense rally experience that you can get if you go deep into rally is something that I think a lot of people are going to respond to and really look forward to.”

It should be a substantial expansion, as Fulton suggested, “Now I’m not sure of figures, right off the bat, but I know there are, I think, seven individual rallies within the pack. Each event is broken up into multiple stages so you get that stage by stage experience in each rally, and that’s really what we’re trying to do there.

“We’re just trying to go a little bit deeper [into that] rally experience that you get from just having one car on a really narrow, intense, undulating route.

“It’s not going to be part of the open world, because obviously we’re changing quite a lot of the world and that’s going to make synching up between people who have and don’t have the pack difficult.

“So instead you’re going to choose to enter the Horizon Rally Championship. That’s going to take you off into a separate mode in which you get to experience the new routes and the new terrain that we’ve built.”

Are you still enjoying Forza: Horizon after launch? Will you be getting the rally DLC when it comes out? Let us know what you think below.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2012/11/26/forza-horizon-rally-dlc-detailed-delivers-pure-rally-experience/feed/1Forza Horizon video promises upcoming DLC will contain “months of fun”http://www.vg247.com/2012/11/16/forza-horizon-video-promises-upcoming-dlc-will-contain-months-of-fun/
http://www.vg247.com/2012/11/16/forza-horizon-video-promises-upcoming-dlc-will-contain-months-of-fun/#respondFri, 16 Nov 2012 21:37:41 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=316706The latest developer diary for Forza Horizon is available, and in it, the Playground and Turn 10 discuss upcoming DLC which will provide “months of fun” for all Forza fans. It also touches up SmartGlass integration. Watch it below.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2012/11/16/forza-horizon-video-promises-upcoming-dlc-will-contain-months-of-fun/feed/0Forza Horizon and the micro-transaction floodgatehttp://www.vg247.com/2012/11/09/forza-horizon-and-the-micro-transaction-floodgate/
http://www.vg247.com/2012/11/09/forza-horizon-and-the-micro-transaction-floodgate/#commentsFri, 09 Nov 2012 09:33:05 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=313936Forza Horizon’s single-player micro-transactions point to a monetization trend that could affect triple-A gaming at its core. You may have to accept the inevitable, says Patrick Garratt.

It isn’t hard to imagine a near-future in which players expect to be able to bypass campaign difficulty spikes by coughing up a micro-payment, whether or not they had to pay up-front for the core content.

There was something odd about Forza Horizon. It’s a great game, if a little standard. You roam the obligatory open world, winning races so you can enter more, stocking up your garage with Turn 10’s trademark veehickles. It took me a little while to notice, but alongside every car I bought with in-game currency was an option to purchase with “tokens”. When I hit the first “you don’t have enough” finger-wag with some Mercedes-alike, the obvious truth dawned: I was being allowed to spend real money, in-game, to progress.

The same features were in Forza 4, apparently – I’m not a sim fan so I didn’t notice – but this seemed significant to me. Forza Horizon is a single-player game: it has a distinct campaign. In-game purchases (or In-App Purchases, or IAPs) are normally reserved for multiplayer in triple-A games, but everything in Forza Horizon is buyable with cash on the solus side.

And it’s not just cars. You’re able to buy “popularity spikes,” which last for longer if you spend more tokens and double the amount of skill points you accrue from races. Players see their virtual crowd-pleasing ability boosted for 30 minutes for a single token. You get five tokens for 400 Microsoft Points, or about £3.40. Then there’s the “treasure map”. This shows you the locations of smashable barriers – which bring down the cost of upgrades – and pinpoints secret races when they occur.

There’s no way you can get this through play: if you want it, you have to pay for it.

Taking a look at micro-transactions in Assassin’s Creed 3, Mass Effect 3 and Forza Horizon. The shift’s towards real money options in every aspect of big budget games, both single-player and multiplayer. Note: I say repeatedly in the video that 400 Microsoft Points cost about £5. This isn’t true. They’re £4.25 for 500 if you buy them through Xbox Live Marketplace.

None of this is news. Speaking in September, Playground Games told us there’d be a full suite of micro-transactions in Forza Horizon. What’s different here is that everything you can buy is included in the campaign, and much of it could directly impact both the difficulty of the game and the time it takes to complete it. If you need a new car for a race, you can just buy the best one. You’re paying to make the campaign easier. EA has been running this type of monetization across its driving games since the launch of this generation, but the idea’s clearly catching on.

Assassin’s Creed 3 is another example of how quickly we’re moving towards a world where IAPs in “ticket” titles – games in which there’s a cost to entry – are the norm. While cash purchases are strictly multiplayer-only in Connor’s debut, the level of IAP monetization is eyebrow-raising. You can buy everything – every customisation option, every move, perk, streak and bonus – as soon as you put the disc into your console, regardless of level. You don’t even have to play a match.

While this type of whale-courting in multiplayer is likely to cause concern as it allows players to “buy their way better,” it’s the implications for single-player elements of triple-A games that could be long-lasting. It isn’t hard to imagine a near-future in which players expect to be able to bypass campaign difficulty spikes by coughing up a micro-payment, whether or not they had to pay up-front for the core content.

Take something like Borderlands 2, for example. Obviously, it’s gun-based. Try applying the Forza Horizon model to it. You might be on a story mission which ends in a boss fight. You may need a fire weapon to beat the stage. In the current game, the chest at the entrance to the boss arena contains the appropriate equipment, and off you go. In Borderlands Horizon, the chest is a shop, and you’re given the option to buy the gun for either 50,000 credits or two tokens. If you don’t have enough in-game currency, you have the option to go back into the game and grind for it, or you simply hand over a few quid.

That’s a pretty different game.

Opening the floodgates

The use of IAPs in triple-A games has spread over the current console generation – companies like Capcom and EA, for instance, now use them as standard in certain genres, such as fighting games and sports – but it’s clear their use is accelerating, and is now spilling over from multiplayer into all aspects of the product. We’re not in the realms of fantasy here: Forza Horizon’s all-out approach and Mass Effect 3 with its campaign-ready gun-packs are proof.

We shouldn’t be surprised. The question, really, is what’s taken gaming’s big players so long to push for IAPs in single-player.

Gamesbrief founder, author and analyst Nicholas Lovell explains: “People who make games become very focused on the value of content. When it costs them tens of millions of dollars to make a game, and millions of dollars to make a single piece of DLC, it’s understandable. The unpalatable truth, though, is that few consumers actually want to pay for content. If they can get it for free, by borrowing or pirating, or cheaply, by trade-ins or a rental service, they will do so.

“It has taken this long for publishers and developers to realise that people don’t value content: they value how that content makes them feel. The floodgates are now open.”

“Contrast that with traditional product marketing. People will happily pay three times as much for a Starbucks as for coffee from a cheap cafe. We’ll pay £2 for bottled water when it’s free from the tap. We’ll buy ‘Taste the Difference’ baked beans even though they are basically the same. At the extreme end, we’ll buy cars and clothes and accessories that are as much about status and self-expression and personal style as they are about the cost of goods.

“This is the difference between IAP and DLC. DLC is just content, expensive to produce content that consumers want to pay as little as possible for. IAP/virtual goods are different. They are about self-expression, about status, about personal choice. They are about trading time for money, or for wanting to collect your favourite cars to show off your discerning eye, or every player in a real football team to display your tribal loyalty.

“It has taken this long for publishers and developers to realise that people don’t value content: they value how that content makes them feel. The floodgates are now open.”

“It makes too much sense to allow in-game purchases, so it’s likely they will be offered more frequently going forward,” he told me.

“I think many gamers prefer having unlimited options for free, but the truth is that there are some things people are willing to pay for, and there is some incremental effort to create the items. It makes sense that publishers will try to exploit the consumer and generate additional revenue.”

While instances of real money transactions in the single-player portions of triple-A games are few at the moment, it’s logical these options will become normal as the entire market lurches towards free-to-play. If people buy it, they’ll include it. You don’t have to, right? Have you heard the one about the developer that offered the choice between grinding for ten hours or spending a pound? It’s got a cracking punchline.

Disclaimer

Promotional copies of the following games were used in the creation of this article:

The Bondurant Car Pack adds six new rides in total, from the sexy 2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Spyder Performante to the serviceable 2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. It’ll run you 400 Microsoft Points.

Here’s the full list of cars included in the DLC:

2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Spyder Performante

2012 Shelby 1000

2010 BMW M3 GTS

1965 Shelby Cobra 427 S/C

1994 Nissan 240SX SE

2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

Forza Horizon was released last week for Xbox 360.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2012/11/03/forza-horizon-bondurant-car-pack-speeds-onto-xbox-live-next-week/feed/1Forza Horizon: showcase events gameplay, it’s wild!http://www.vg247.com/2012/10/26/forza-horizon-showcase-events-gameplay-its-wild/
http://www.vg247.com/2012/10/26/forza-horizon-showcase-events-gameplay-its-wild/#commentsFri, 26 Oct 2012 16:14:28 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=310390Forza Horizon ‘showcase events’ re one of the definitive highlights of PlayGround Games’ racer. These events define the ‘festival atmosphere’ and are a great excuse for different events that are perhaps a little off the wall. See them in action below.

As you’ll see below, it’s not just cars on the starting line in Forza Horizon. Throughout the game you’ll face some of the strangest opponents in racing games to date, including Mustang planes to hot air balloons.